Group  xn.                   Athletics 

Group  XIV.     Manly  Sports—  con. 

No.  12A    Spalding's    Official   Athletic 

No.  233    Jiu  Jitsu. 

No.    27    College  Athletics.         {.Rules. 

No.  166    How  to  Swing  Indian  Clubs. 

No.  182    All  Around  Athletics. 

No.  200    Dumb  Bell  Exercises. 

No.  156    Athletes'  Guide. 

No,  143    Indian  Clubs  and  Dumb  Bells. 

No.    87    Athletic  Primer. 

No.  262    Medicine  Ball  Exercises. 

No.  273    Olympic  Games  at  Athens,  1906 

No.    29    Pulley  Weight  Exercises. 

No.  252    How  to  Sprint. 

No.  191    How  to  Punch  the  Bag. 

No.  255    How  to  Run  100  Yards. 

No.  289    Tumbling  for  Amateurs. 

No.  174    Distance  and  Cross  Country 
Running.               [Thrower. 

Group  XV.                Gymnastics 

No.  259    How    to    Become   a    Weight 

No.  104    Grading  of  Gymnastic  Exer- 

No.   55    Official  Sporting  Rules. 

cises.       [Dumb  Bell  Drills. 

No.  246    Athletic  Training  for  School- 

No.  214    Graded  Calisthenics  and 

No.  317    Marathon  Running.        [boys. 

No.  254  Barnjum  Bar  Bell  Drill.  [Games 

No.  331    Schoolyard  Athletics, 

No.  158   Indoor  and  Outdoor  Gymnastic 

No.  342    Walking  for  Health  and  Com- 

No. 124    How  to  Become  a  Gymnast. 

petition. 

No.  287    Fancy  Dumb  Bell  and  March- 

ATHLETIC AUXILIARIES 

ing  Drills.         [Apparatus. 

No.  357    Intercollegiate  Official  Hand- 
No.  314    Girls'   Athletics.             [book. 
No.  302    Y.  M.  C.  A.  Official  Handbook. 
No.  313*   Public  Schools  Athletic 

No.  327    Pyramid    Building     Without 
No.  328    Exercises  on  the  Parallel  Bars. 
No.  329    Pyramid     Building    with 
Wands,  Chairs  and  Ladders. 

League  Official  Handbook. 

GYMNASTIC  AUXILIARY 

No.  308    Official  Handbook  New  York 

No.  345    Official  Handbook  I.  C.  A.  A. 

Interscholastic  A.  A. 

Gymnasts  of  America. 

No.  347    Official  Handbook  P.  S.  A.  L. 
of  San  Francisco. 

Group  XVI.         Physical  Culture 

Athletic 

No.  161    10  Minutes'  Exercise  for  Busy 

Group  xm.        Accomplishments 

Men. 
No.  149    Scientific    Physical   Training 

No.  177    How  to  Swim. 

and  Care  of  the  Body. 

No!  296    Speed  Swimming. 
No.  128    How  to  Row. 

No.  208    Physical  Education  and  Hy- 
No.  185    Hints  on  Health.            [giene. 

No.  209    How  to  Become  a  Skater. 

No.  213    285  Health  Answers. 

No.  178    How  to  Train  for  Bicycling. 
No.    23    Canoeing. 

No.  238    Muscle  Building. 
No.  234    School  Tactics  and  Maze  Run- 

No!  282    Roller  Skating  Guide. 

Group  XIV.             Manly  Sports 

No.  261    Tensing  Exercises.         [ning. 
No.  285    Health     by    Muscular    Gym- 
nastics. 

No.    18    Fencing.     (  By  Breck.) 

No.  288    Indigestion  Treated  by  Gym- 

No.  162    Boxing. 

No.  290    Get  Well;  Keep  Well,  [nasties. 

No.  165    Fencing.     (  By  Senac.) 

No.  325    Twenty-Minute  Exercises. 

No.  236    How  to  Wrestle. 

No.  330    Physical     Training    for    the 

No.  102    Ground  Tumbling 

School  and  Class  Room. 

ANY  OF  THE  ABOVE  BOOKS  MAILED  POSTPAID  UPON  RECEIPT  OF  10  CENTS 

Spalding  "Red  Cover"  Series  of  Athletic  Handbooks 

No.     1R.  Spalding's  Official  Athletic  Almanac Piice  25c. 

No.    2R.  Strokes  and  Science  of  Lawn  Tennis Price  25c. 

No.     3R.  Spalding's  Official  Golf  Guide Price  25c. 

No.    4R.  How  to  Play  Golf Prire  2.?c. 

No.     5R.  Spalding's  Official  Cricket  Guide Price  25c. 

No.    6R.  Cricket  and  How  to  Play  It '  .".'*.'.     .     .     .  Price  2 5c. 

No.     7R.  Physical  Training  Simplified Price  25c. 

No.     8R.  The  Art  of  Skating Price  25c. 

No.    9R.  How  to  Live  100  Years Price  25c. 

No.  10R.  Single  Stick  Drill Price  25c. 

No.  11R.  Fencing  Foil  Work  Illustrated Price  25c. 

No.  12R.  Exercises  on  the  Side  Horse Price  25c. 

No.  13R.  Horizontal  Bar  Exercises Price  25c. 

No.  14R.  Trapeze,  Long  Horse  and  Rope  Exercises Price  25c. 

No.  15R.  Exercises  on  the  Flying  Rings Price  25c. 

No.  16R.  Team  Wand  Drill Price  25c. 

No.  17R.  Olympic  Games,  Stockholm,  1912 Price  2 5c. 

No.  18R.  Wrestling Price  25c. 

No.  19R.  Prof  essional  Wrestling Price  25c. 


ED.   W.   SMITH, 

Sporting   Editor  Chicago    American. 


SPALDING  "  RED  COVER"  SERIES  OF 

ATHLETIC  HANDBOOKS 

No.  igR 


PROFESSIONAL 

WRESTLING 


ED.   W.   £MITH 

Sporting  Editor  Chicago  American 


PUBLISHED   BY 

AMERICAN  SPORTS  PUBLISHING 

COMPANY 
21  WARREN  STREET,  NEW  YORK 


COPYRIGHT,  1912 

BY 

AMERICAN  SPORTS  PUBLISHING  COMPANY 
NEW  YORK 


w  -  '   •    ; 

SPALDING'S    ATHLETIC    LIBRARY. 


FRANK  GOTCH 
THE  WORLD'S  ATHLETIC  MARVEL 


Being  an  Intimate    Study  of  the   Iowa   Farmer  and  Financier, 
Both  as  a  Man  and  the  Wrestling  Wonder  of  the  Age 


By  ED  W.  SMITH 

Sporting  Editor  of  the  Chicago  American  and  Referee  of  the 

Gotch-Hackenschmidt  and  Gotch-Mahmout  International 

Matches  for  the  World's  Title 

Who  is  there  of  this  great  American  reading  public  that  has 
not  at  some  time  or  other  run  across  one  of  those  pleasing 
little  fables  about  the  country  boy  who,  fresh  from  the  plow  or 
dragged  at  a  moment's  notice  from  his  work  in  the  field,  downed 
the  chap  from  the  city  at  some  athletic  contest?  How  often 
can  you  remember  reading  one  of  those  stories,  and  don't  you 
remember,  too,  that  you  sympathized  with  the  yokel  as  against 
the  haughty  fellow  of  city  birth  and  breeding,  who  was  so. 
widely  heralded  about  the  countryside  as  being  the  greatest  thing 
that  ever  happened? 

Of  course,  everybody  has  read  these  stories  at  some  time  or 
other.  Of  course,  even  if  you  didn't  believe  the  story,  you 
believed  in  it,  and  when  the  climax  came  and  the  haughty  athlete 
from  town  was  humbled  in  defeat,  you  believed  in  the  sentiment 
and  gloated  over  the  victory  and  the  "city  feller's"  humiliation. 

Doubtless  there  has  been  much  truth  in  some  of  these  yarns. 
Perhaps  the  city  chap  was  a  braggart  and  didn't  really  amount 
to  so  much  as  an  athlete,  and  perhaps  the  farmer  boy  never 
could  amount  to  anything  if  pitted  against  the  real  sort  of  an 

259999 


FRANK  ALBERT  GOTCH, 

Of  Humboldt,  Iowa.    Catch-as-Catch-Can  Wrestling  Champion  of  the  World, 
title  secured  and  retained  in  the  last  two  international  matches  in  Cnicago. 


SPALDING'S    ATHLETIC    LIBRARY.  5 

athlete  at  the  latter's  favorite  game,  but  at  the  same  time  the 
world  loves  to  extend  its  sympathy  to  the  under  dog  in  such 
case,  and  always,  in  the  story  book,  the  farmer  boy  is  the 
under  dog. 

Coming  right  down  to  the  facts,  there  is  one  farmer  boy  in 
this  country,  now  grown  into  a  man — and  what  a  man ! — who 
maybe  was  the  hero  of  some  of  these  tales.  If  he  wasn't  he 
would  have  been  simply  an  ideal  hero  for  a  yarn  of  that  char- 
acter. He  is  champion  catch-as-catch-can  wrestler  of  the  world 
now,  and  his  name  is  Frank  Albert  Gotch,  a  farmer  lad  from 
Humboldt,  la.,  perhaps  the  greatest  athlete  America  has  yet  pro- 
duced, certainly  the  greatest  wrestler. 

Though  a  champion  and  something  of  a  man  of  the  world 
now,  he  is  still  a  farmer  at  heart,  for  all  of  his  great  fortune — 
and  he  has  accumulated  much  through  thrifty  habits  contracted 
down  on  that  old  Iowa  farm — is  invested  in  lands  in  the  corn 
State  which  he  calls  home. 

Back  in  1900,  when  wrestling  was  not  nearly  as  popular  in 
the  Middle  West  as  it  is  at  the  present  time,  and  when  wrestlers 
were  looked  upon  with  a  great  deal  of  suspicion  by  the  average 
man,  the  wrestler  being  qualified  along  with  the  crafty  second- 
story  man  and  porch  climber,  Martin  ("Farmer")  Burns,  then 
one  of  the  best  heavyweights  in  the  country,  began  to  circulate 
stories  about  a  wonderful  young  fellow  he  had  "discovered"  out 
in  Iowa  and  for  whom  he  predicted  the  most  brilliant  future. 
His  name  was  Gotch,  and  he  said  he  intended  to  make  a  cham- 
pion of  the  world  out  of  him  if  it  took  him  the  rest  of  his  life. 

It  didn't  take  Burns  that  long,  because  on  the  night  of  April 
3,  1908,  Burns  saw  his  ambition  realized.  That  night,  or  rather 
at  an  early  hour  the  following  morning,  Gotch  defeated  George 
Hackenschmidt,  the  "Russian  Lion,"  after  two  hours  of  a  peculiar 
struggle,  and  carried  off  the  title  from  that  famous  exhibition 
athlete. 

A  little  over  one  year  later  a  new  Gotch,  fully  100  per  cent, 
better  than  he  was  when  he  defeated  Hackenschmidt,  success- 
fully defended  his  title  against  Yussiff  Mahmout,  the  latest 
"Terrible  Turk"  to  come  to  this  country.  It  was  Gotch's  showing 


Picture  taken  In   ring   in   Dexter  Park   Pavilion,   Chicago,    111.,    April   3,    1908, 

just   before   the    start  of   the   great   match    for   the   world's  catch-as-catch-car 

title.   Hackenschmidt  conceded  Gotch  the  match  at  the  end  of  2h.  5m. 

FRANK  GOTCH  AND  GEORGES  HACKENSCHMIDT,  WITH 

REFEREE  SMITH. 


SPALDING'S    ATHLETIC    LIBRARY.  7 

in  that  match  and  the  work  he  did  on  the  mat  immediately 
after  that  convinced  many  good  judges  of  the  wrestling  game 
that  the  beau  ideal  champion  had  arrived. 

Though  even  Gotch  himself  does  not  keep  an  intimate  account 
of  the  happenings  of  his  career  in  detail,  he  can  tell  you  offhand 
that  it  was  in  a  match  on  May  23,  1908,  when  he  defeated  Tom 
Jenkins  in  Kansas  City  in  a  catch-as-catch-can  match,  that  he 
became  champion  of  his  own  country.  At  least  he  was  consid- 
ered to  be  the  best  man  in  America,  Jenkins  being  the  only  man 
at  that  time  who  was  considered  to  have  the  slightest  chance 
with  him. 

Since  that  time,  with  the  exception  of  exactly  sixteen  days  in 
December  of  that  year,  the  Iowa  farmer  had  held  almost  unques- 
tioned sway.  It  is  true  that  many  men  have  come  up  in  the 
meantime,  but  none  of  them  were  thought  to  be  a  serious  con- 
tender for  Gotch's  title.  I  am  speaking  now  merely  of  the 
American  wrestlers. 

I  stated  that  for  sixteen  days  Gotch  was  without  his  honors. 
That  is  true  only  in  a  sense.  On  December  i  Fred  Beell  of 
Wisconsin  defeated  Gotch  in  a  match  at  New  Orleans,  winning 
on  a  fluke.  Gotch  had  the  first  fall  and  the  men  were  wrestling 
in  the  second  when  Gotch,  in  making  a  quick  turn  to  dodge 
away  from  his  speedy  little  opponent,  hit  his  head  against  one 
of  the  posts  of  the  ring.  This  dazed  him  so  badly  that  Beell  had 
only  to  roll  him  over  to  secure  the  fall.  When  the  men  came 
out  on  the  mat  after  the  usual  ten  minutes  rest  for  the  third 
fall,  Gotch  was  still  befuddled  and  proved  an  easy  victim. 

They  were  matched  again  for  December  17  in  Kansas  City, 
and  there,  before  a  gigantic  crowd,  Gotch  convinced  all  that  he 
was  Beell's  master  by  defeating  him  with  great  ease. 

Since  that  time  nobody  has  come  anywhere  near  defeating 
the  Iowa  man,  and  in  my  opinion  the  man  is  not  known  at  this 
time — the  spring  of  1909 — who  stands  any  chance  with  him  at 
all.  I  have  arrived  at  this  conclusion  after  an  exhaustive  study 
of  the  man  and  a  careful  and  painstaking  study  of  his  matches  of 
the  last  two  years  as  well  as  of  his  methods.  I  am  thoroughly 
convince^  that  he  has  everything  that  goes  to  make  a  champion  of 


View   of  the   ring  taken  Just  before  the   start  of  the   match,    April   14,    1909, 
in  Dexter   Park   Pavilion,    Chicago,    111.,    in   the   presence   of    8,500   spectators. 
Gotch  victor  in  straight  falls,   9m.   10s.    and  7m.    respectively. 
FRANK    GOTCH    AND    YUSSIFF   MAHMOUT.     ED.    W.    SMITH,    REFEREE. 


SPALDING'S    ATHLETIC    LIBRARY.  9 

the  world,  and  in  this  category  I  would  list  gameness,  first  of 
all,  and  then  in  rapid  order,  extreme  skill,  gigantic  strength,  a 
wonderful  brain,  and  last  and  perhaps  the  greatest  attribute  of 
all,  his  amazing  ability  to  read  men  and  tell  almost  at  a  glance 
what  is  passing  in  their  minds. 

As  referee  of  the  match  in  which  Gotch  defeated  the  once 
mighty  Hackenschmidt,  I  had  a  great  chance  to  see  this  won- 
derful athlete  in  action  against  the  most  powerful  rival  he  was 
ever  asked  to  face.  I  saw  that  night  that  Gotch  was  so  far  out 
of  the  ordinary  as  to  call  for  unusual  attention.  Not  only  did 
he  outwrestle  the  marvellously  strong  "Russian  Lion,"  but  he 
outgamed  him  as  well  and  used  that  wonderful  brain  of  his  to 
such  startling  advantage  that  Hackenschmidt  was  absolutely 
bewildered  and  confused  at  the  end  of  fifteen  minutes'  work 
and  then  began  to  try  and  make  excuses  for  having  the  match 
called  a  draw. 

Hackenschmidt  subsequently  told  the  most  disgraceful  stories 
about  Gotch  and  myself  after  he  got  to  England,  claiming  to  have 
been  fouled  deliberately  and  in  general  to  have  been  the  victim 
of  a  job  to  down  him.  Inasmuch  as  Hackenschmidt  was  utterly 
unable  at  any  time  to  secure  one  hold  of  any  importance  on 
the  wondeful  man  from  Iowa,  those  who  saw  the  match  at  once 
construed  his  talk  as  being  that  of  a  mighty  bad  loser  and  the 
words  that  might  be  expected  from  a  quitter,  for  that  is  what 
Hackenschmidt  showed  himself  to  be  that  night. 

I  have  never  taken  the  trouble  to  reply  to  the  stories  circu- 
lated in  England  by  "Hack,"  confident  that  the  motion  pictures 
taken  of  the  match  would  show  exactly  what  happened.  Later, 
Hackenschmidt  was  found  to  be  wrong  by  English  sportsmen, 
the  London  Sporting  Life  in  particular  coming  out  in  a  manly 
fashion  and  making  public  apology  to  Gotch  and  myself  for  hav- 
ing accepted  the  "Lion's"  statements  so  flatfootedly. 

Briefly,  however,  at  this  time,  I  will  say  that  Hackenschmidt's 
tale  about  Gotch  being  greased  was  the  veriest  bosh.  He  knows 
that  with  one  man  greased  at  the  start  both  men  would  be 
greased  inside  of  ten  minutes  of  wrestling,  thus  making  it  as 
hard  for  one  as  for  the  other  to  take  holds.  Besides  that,  it 


GEORGES    HACKENSCHMIDT, 
The  Russian  Lion. 


SPALDING'S    ATHLETIC    LIBRARY.  H 

was  on  the  legs  that  Goth  would  need  the  grease  more  than 
any  other  place.  The  fact  that  Gotch  that  night  wore  full 
length  tights,  as  he  always  does  in  the  ring,  is  sufficient  answer. 

Hackenschmidt  said  he  was  fouled.  He  was  not.  Gotch  the 
next  day  was  as  badly  punished  as  Hackenschmidt.  Heavy- 
weights standing  up  with  heads  together  for  nearly  two  hours 
and  pulling  and  hauling  fiercely  are  bound  to  get  bruises.  Catch- 
as-catch-can  wrestling  is  a  long  way  from  being  a  parlor  sport, 
and  Hackenschmidt,  who  can  be  the  roughest  man  imaginable 
when  he  has  in  front  of  him  an  opponent  he  knows  he  can 
handle  with  ease,  knows  it  well. 

But  it  is  of  Gotch  that  we  are  more  concerned. 

What  has  this  fellow  got  that  makes  him  so  superior  to  his 
fellow  athletes,  many  of  whom  are  stronger  by  far  than  the 
Iowa  farmer? 

Briefly  as  possible  I  will  attempt  to  show. 

To  begin  with,  when  Gotch  starts  wrestling,  he  uses  more 
headwork  than  any  athlete  I  ever  knew  or  saw  work.  That  in 
two  lines  is  the  secret  of  the  success  of  Frank  Gotch.  He  is  a 
brainy  man ;  that  is  all  there  is  to  it. 

Gotch  in  action  has  three  wonderfully  strong  points. 

He  can  get  behind  a  man  better  than  any  wrestler  I  ever  saw. 

He  can,  once  he  gets  behind  and  hurls  an  opponent  to  the 
mat,  get  a  crotch  hold  more  effectively  than  any  man  in  the 
business. 

From  the  crotch  hold  he  works  his  man  into  a  half  Nelson 
and  then  it  is  an  easy  matter  to  get  the  fall. 

This  was  shown  in  his  great  match  with  Yussiff  Mahmout  at 
Dexter  Park  Pavilion,  April  14,  1909.  It  was  with  a  crotch 
hold  and  half  Nelson,  a  double  hold  that  is  effectively  explained 
and  illustrated  by  Dr.  B.  F.  Roller,  the  famous  college  athlete 
and  professional  wrestler,  in  this  book,  that  Gotch  defended  his 
world's  title  against  the  Bulgarian. 

After  the  match  I  said  to  Antoine  Pierri,  Mahmout's  manager, 
and  himself  a  former  wrestler  of  wide  experience : 

"He  had  no   defense  for  that  hold,   did   he?" 

"That  is  not  exactly  it"  came  the  ready  reply  from  the  Greek, 


DR.    B.    F.    ROLLER, 

Seattle,  Wash. 

Graduate    De    Pauw    and    University    of    Pennsylvania;     now    a    leading    pro- 
fessional wrestler. 

Copyright,  1908,  James  &  Bushnell,  Seattle. 


SPALDING'S    ATHLETIC    LIBRARY.  13 

"for  no  man  living  that  I  know  can  defeat  this  fellow.  When 
he  gets  that  hold  on  anybody  living  it  will  be  the  same  story. 
He  is  the  most  wonderful  wrestler  I  have  seen  since  the  days 
of  Yousouf." 

Gotch  is  known  as  the  man  who  invented  or  devised  or  intro- 
duced, or  whatever  else  you  may  call  it,  what  is  known  as  the 
toe  hold,  the  most  deadly  grip  known  to  wrestling,  unless  we 
except  only  the  strangle  lock.  Yet  when  we  cast  back  an  eye 
over  Gotch's  record  we  find  that  he  has  won  but  few  falls  and 
fewer  matches  with  this  hold  than  any  other. 

I  can  explain  that  easily.  Gotch  invented  the  toe  hold  merely 
as  a  subterfuge  for  securing  the  easier  and  equally  as  effective 
crotch  lock.  In  getting  a  reputation  for  using  the  toe  hold 
Gotch  got  exactly  what  he  wanted.  He  desired  to  be  known  as 
always  going  after  that  hold.  But  he  used  it  in  the  greater 
number  of  cases  merely  to  turn  an  opponent  over  on  his  side 
and  thus  get  the  legs  spread  apart  that  he  may  run  his  arm  in 
between  them  and  secure  the  crotch. 

That  is  the  whole  thing  in  a  nutshell.  The  toe  hold  is  a  stall 
to  get  something  else.  Let  it  be  known  right  now  that  the  toe 
grip  is  a  mighty  hard  thing  to  get  on  an  opponent  who  knows 
anything.  But  when  you  go  after  it  you  can  get  a  man  to  roll 
on  his  side  and  spread  his  legs  out.  This  makes  it  possible  and 
in  many  cases  easy  to  get  the  crotch  hold. 

And  I  will  tell  you  something  more  about  this  crotch  hold 
that  will  astonish  you.  I  have  seen  Gotch  pick  up  an  opponent 
bodily,  raise  him  over  his  head  and  then  drop  him  to  the  mat, 
getting  the  crotch  hold  actually  while  his  man  is  coming  down 
through  the  air.  This  one  little  paragraph  will  serve  to  show 
how  wonderfully  fast  this  man's  brain  works  and  how  rapidly 
he  can  make  his  muscles  answer  to  the  call  of  his  brain. 

The  layman  may  not  realize  the  import  of  this  thing  of  making 
the  muscles  answer  to  the  brain.  I  believe  that  this  is  what 
"class"  means  more  than  anything  else.  When  you  find  a  wrestler 
who  can  do  it,  or  when  you  find  a  base  ball  player  or  a  fighter 
or  any  other  sort  of  an  athlete  who  has  the  faculty  of  doing 
it,  then  you  have  a  man  of  the  highest  class. 


I — Iljalmir  Lundin,  Swedish  champion  wrestler  at  Graeco- Roman  and  catch 
as-catch-can  styles.  2 — Raoul  De  Rouen,  of  France,  giant  Parisian  who  came 
to  this  country  to  meet  Frank  Gotch. 


SPALDING'S    ATHLETIC    LIBRARY.  15 

Seldom  have  I  seen  in  one  year  the  marked  change  that  came 
over  an  athlete  as  that  which  transpired  in  the  general  makeup 
and  ability  of  Frank  Gotch  between  the  match  with  Hacken- 
schmidt  and  that  with  Mahmout,  a  trifle  over  one  year. 

In  the  match  with  Hackenschmidt  he  was  scarcely  conceded 
a  chance  to  win  against  the  famous  "Lion."  As  a  matter  of  fact 
many  of  his  friends  expressed  sympathy  for  him,  believing  that 
he  was  about  to  get  the  licking  of  a  lifetime.  But  not  so  this 
wonderful  man  from  Iowa.  He  told  me  a  week  before  the 
match  and  before  there  was  even  a  suggestion  of  making  me  the 
referee  of  the  contest — an  honor,  by  the  way,  that  was  thrust 
upon  me  by  the  great  Hackenschmidt  himself — that  he  would 
win  the  match  without  obtaining  a  fall.  Asked  how  he  figured 
out  such  a  thing,  Gotch  replied  that  he  had  given  some  study 
to  the  man  and  knew  that  Hackenschmidt  would  have  to  win 
inside  of  fifteen  minutes  or  he  could  not  win  at  all. 

"He  thinks  I  am  a  mark,"  Gotch  told  me,  "and  he  isn't  train- 
ing. I  never  was  better  in  my  life  and  can  stand  him  off  for  a 
half  hour  easily.  Then  he  will  begin  to  weaken  and  after  that  he 
will  quit.  He  never  will  let  me  throw  him  because  he  will 
want  to  go  back  to  England  and  say  that  he  couldn't  be  thrown 
and  have  some  bad  excuse  to  offer." 

This  is  merely  cited  to  show  Gotch's  wonderful  perception  of 
men  and  conditions  and  his  ability  to  foresee  events  and  prepare 
for  them. 

After  the  Hackenschmidt  match  Gotch  gained  the  deepest  con- 
fidence, and  when  he  faced  Mahmout  he  would  have  faced  a  den 
of  panthers,  so  sure  was  he  that  nobody  could  beat  him.  I  was 
in  his  dressing  room  thirty  minutes  before  the  men  went  into 
the  ring  to  help  settle  the  dispute  as  to  whether  or  not  the 
foreign  star  would  be  permitted  to  wrestle  in  his  bare  feet  or 
be  forced  to  wear  shoes.  Never  have  I  seen  an  athlete  so  coolly 
undisturbed  as  was  this  giant.  He  wasn't  even  stripped,  although 
there  was  a  mob  of  close  to  8,000  persons  out  in  that  vast 
amphitheatre  waiting  to  see  the  struggle.  The  gate  receipts  were 
close  to  $40,000. 

"He    signed    Police    Gazette    rules    and    now    let   him    wrestle 


f- 


1 — Ernest  Siegfried,  "The  German  Oak."  a  famous  Graeco-Roman  star  on  the 
other  side  of  the  water.  2 — "Amerious"  (Gus  SchoenleinK  of  Baltimore.  Md., 
famous  light-heavyweight  wrestler. 


SPALDING'S    ATHLETIC    LIBRARY.  17 

under  those  rules  or  not  at  all,"  Gotch  said.     "Send  the  people 
away  if  you  want  to.     I  simply  won't  let  him  dictate  to  me." 

This  stand  gave  the  promoters  an  anxious  half  hour,  because 
that  crowd  would  have  torn  the  building  down  if  the  match  had 
been  called  off.  The  matter  finally  was  compromised  by  the 
Turk's  manager  paying  over  a  forfeit  of  $500.  This  incident, 
too,  will  serve  to  show  Gotch's  financial  shrewdness.  Though 
he  got  close  to  $15,000  for  his  end  and  knew  absolutely  that  he 
could  defeat  Mahmout,  nothing  short  of  the  $500  forfeit  would 
make  him  budge  from  the  position  he  had  taken. 

When  Gotch  is  preparing  for  a  match  he  never  has  anything 
on  his  mind,  unless  it  is  his  everpresent  love  of  the  coin.  When 
he  trains  he  dismisses  from  his  mind  all  thoughts  of  anything 
but  the  work  that  he  has  in  hand.  His  mind  is  as  free  as  if  he 
had  no  mind  at  all  and  he  refuses  to  get  serious  about  anything. 
He  is  handled  like  a  racehorse  or  a  prize  dog  about  to  be  dis- 
played. He  hires  the  best  trainers  to  be  found  anywhere,  men 
who  understand  him  in  every  particular  and  to  whom  it  will 
not  be  even  necessary  for  him  to  explain  anything.  He  permits 
no  business  cares  to  creep  into  his  daily  life,  but  it  is  train, 
train,  train  all  the  time.  Then  when  he  steps  into  the  ring  he 
is  in  the  finest  possible  condition. 

This  should  be  a  lesson  for  all  athletes.  It  is  the  mental 
strain  and  the  cares  of  matters  foreign  to  athletics  that  lose 
more  matches  than  anything  else  and  unfit  men  for  strenuous 
battle. 

Gotch  is  inordinately  fond  of  increasing  his  bankroll ;  there  is 
no  doubt  of  that,  but  he  dismisses  all  this  when  he  is  training. 
Here  is  an  incident  that  happened  during  the  time  that  he  was 
matched  with  Raoul  de  Rouen,  the  Frenchman,  in  Kansas  City 
in  April,  1909.  There  was  a  parcel  of  land  near  one  of  his  own 
tracts  that  he  wanted.  The  owner  set  a  price,  but  it  was  a  bit 
too  high. 

"I'll  get  about  $6,000  out  of  this  match,"  Gotch  reasoned,  "and 
won't  spend  a  cent  more  for  the  land  than  that.  He'll  have  to 
come  down  in  his  price."  The  owner  of  the  property  cut  the 
acre  price  $2.50,  and  sure  enough  Gotch's  one-third  of  the 


1 — Fred  Beell,  of  Marshfield,  Wis.,  known  as  one  of  the  greatest  light- 
heavyweight  wrestlers  in  the  business.  2 — Yussiff  Mahmout,  latest  "Terrible 
Turk"  to  come  to  this  country,  only  to  prove  an  easy  victim  for  Frank  Gotch 
after  he  had  defeated  all  other  crack  heavyweights. 


SPALDING'S    ATHLETIC    LIBRARY.  19 

Kansas  City  house  reached  just  $6,100,  and  the  champion  go:  a 
valuable  addition  to  his  real  estate  holdings. 

Gotch  is  a  great  financier,  there  is  no  doubt  of  it.  When  he 
first  became  known  to  Chicagoans  he  was  willing  to  wrestle  for 
very  moderate  amounts.  He  didn't  want  more  than  $150  for  a 
contest  back  in  1906.  Things  have  changed  since  then  and  the 
champion  adopted  a  new  scale  of  prices  that,  while  not  exor- 
bitant, gives  the  big  fellow  a  tremendous  income.  He  works 
constantly  and  will  cut  the  usual  price  in  order  to  keep  for 
ever  at  it. 

"The  public  is  fickle,"  he  reasons,  "and  when  my  day  of  defea' 
comes,  as  it  surely  must  if  I  stick  long  enough,  I  want  to  be 
so  well  provided  with  money  that  I  will  be  absolutely  inde- 
pendent." 

Of  one  thing,  dear  reader,  you  can  be  absolutely  sure — Gotc-h 
will  never  be  broke. 

Many  predicted  before  the  Mahmout  match  that  the  Turk  s 
peculiar  crouch  would  puzzle  Gotch  and  make  it  hard  for  the 
American  to  get  behind  his  man  and  secure  any  effective  hold 
on  him.  Gotch  smiled  at  this  and  told  his  friends  to  wait. 

Gotch  solved  the  crouch  puzzle  in  a  hurry.  "I  hooked  him 
into  defeat,"  Gotch  said  afterward,  and  in  truth  he  did.  When 
the  Turk  crouched  forward  with  his  head  stuck  forward  in  the 
style  usual  with  foreign  wrestlers,  Gotch  reached  over  and 
hooked  the  Turk  behind  the  neck,  jerking  him  forward  vigor- 
ously. This  little  trick  entirely  disconcerted  the  Turk  and  kept 
him  so  overbalanced  all  the  time  that  inside  of  four  minutes  his 
courage  began  to  ooze  out  of  his  finger  tips.  It  wasn't  exactly 
fair  to  fool  the  great  foreign  star  in  that  fashion,  but  you,  see 
Gotch  needed  the  money  and  wanted  to  keep  the  title. 

If  they  stand  up  straight  Gotch  finds  it  easy  to  get  into  their 
legs,  and  if  they  try  to  block  him  off  and  crouch  he  hooks  'em 
into  defeat.  It  looks  as  if  nothing  could  fool  him  at  all. 

Gotch  reminds  me  of  a  man  who  has  a  fad  for  hunting  and 
with  means  at  his  command  has  provided  himself  with  a  perfect 
arsenal  of  weapons.  But  down  in  a  corner  of  that  arsenal  is 
his  favorite  gun  which  he  uses  most  of  the  time  for  all  sorts 


l-CHARLES  OLSON.  ?-OHARLES  POSTL. 


SPALDING'S    ATHLETIC    LIBRARY.  il 

of  game.  That  weapon  is  his  crotch  and  half  Nelson.  If  the 
game  refuses  to  come  down  with  that  weapon  Frank  looks  over 
his  stock  and  selects  something  else  that  will  hit  the  vital  spot. 
He  is  the  best  equipped  hunter  I  ever  knew. 

Of  one  thing  I  am  thoroughly  convinced.  Had  Gotch  not 
been  a  bit  cautious  of  Hackenschmidt  and  the  terrible  reputa- 
tion he  brought  to  this  country  as  a  man-killer,  I  am  satisfied 
that  he  would  have  beaten  the  "Lion"  that  night  inside  of 
twenty  minutes  and  beaten  him  more  decisively  than  he  did. 
Gotch  had  the  foreigner  sized  up  pretty  well  as  it  was,  but  he 
figured  that. "Hack"  was  a  better  wrestler  than  he  really  is.  At 
the  time  this  story  was  written  Hackenschmidt  would  stand  no 
show  at  all  with  Gotch,  who  would  outclass  him  at  every  point, 
and  especially  in  speed  and  knowledge  of  the  game. 

An  incident  happened  during  the  Mahmout  match  that  shows 
the  extreme  coolness  and  confidence  of  the  man.  He  had  the 
dreaded  crotch  hold  and  half  Nelson  on  the  Turk  and  had  his 
second  shoulder  within  a  few  inches  of  the  mat  for  the  first 
fall.  I  was  flat  on  the  canvas  watching  and  directly  facing 
Gotch.  "He'll  come  this  time,  Ed,  but  he's  pretty  tough,"  he 
remarked  with  a  grin,  as  if  indulging  only  in  a  frolic  in  the 
gymnasium  instead  of  in  a  world's  championship  match  upon 
which  thousands  of  dollars  depended. 

What  manner  of  man  is  going  to  beat  a  fellow  like  that? 

That  is  a  question  I  cannot  figure  out.  It  will  take  a  big 
fellow  who  has  got  all  that  Gotch  has  and  a  little  more.  No 
man  under  Gotch's  weight  is  going  to  defeat  him.  He  will  have 
to  be  crushed  down,  but  the  man  who  does  the  crushing  will 
have  to  be  like  a  steam  roller. 

Often  I  am  asked  about  the  honesty  of  matches.  Of  the 
general  run  of  contests  in  this  country  I  can  speak  only  in  a 
general  way,  but  of  those  that  I  have  seen  around  Chicago  I 
will  say  that  nine-tenths  of  them  are  very  much  on  the  square. 
The  simple  answer  that  the  better  man  always  wins  should 
settle  all  argument.  I  believe  there  are  times  when  one  wrestler 
permits  another  to  make  a  better  showing  than  he  would  if  the 
better  man  hustled  and  won  as  quickly  as  he  could.  Even  these 


1—  JESS   WESTERGAARD    "REJMER."          2— CHARLES   CUTLER 


SPALDING'S    ATHLETIC    LIBRARY.  23 

occasions  are  remote,  for  wrestlers  are  getting  to  be  more 
guarded  of  their  reputations  than  formerly,  being  convinced  of 
the  truth  of  the  old  mixim  about  honesty  being  the  best  policy. 

There  is  one  thing  you  can  wager  your  all  on.  The  last  two 
international  matches  were  strictly  honest  in  every  detail. 
Hackenschmict  would  not  have  lost  to  Gotch  dishonestly  for 
many  times  what  anybody  could  have  afforded  to  offer  him.  As 
for  Mahmout,  he  could  have  cleaned  up  $100,000  inside  of  two 
years  had  he  been  able  to  defeat  Gotch. 

There  was  a  time,  I  am  satisfied,  when  wrestlers  practically 
had  to  fake  in  order  to  get  along,  so  thoroughly  was  the  game 
in  disrepute.  Careful  handling  in  Chicago  has  done  much  to 
put  the  game  on  a  firm  and  honest  footing,  and  I  think  the  old- 
time  system  of  faking  and  jobbing  has  been  done  away  with.  A 
good  wrestler  does  much  better  these  days  by  being  strictly  on 
the  level,  and  I  believe  a  very  large  majority  of  them  are. 

To  Dr.  Benjamin  Franklin  Roller,  one  of  the  leading  athletes 
of  this  country,  the  American  Sports  Publishing  Company  owes 
a  debt  of  gratitude.  It  was  Dr.  Roller  who,  with  Charles  Postl 
of  Buffalo,  N.  Y.,  posed  for  the  excellent  pictures  of  this  little 
work  on  wrestling. 

No  man  in  the  country  is  better  fitted  to  discourse  on  catch- 
as-catch-can  wrestling  than  Dr.  Roller.  He  is  a  thorough  student 
of  the  game  and,  in  addition,  is  said  by  Frank  Gotch  himself  to 
be  the  second  best  professional  wrestler  in  this  country.  This 
is  proved  by  the  fact  that  while  the  doctor  has  .met  every  first- 
class  wrestler  in  America  in  straight  matches,  he  has  yet  to 
lose  a  fall  to  any  man  excepting  only  the  champion  himself. 

Dr.  Roller  is  sincere  in  his  statement  that  he,  in  common  with 
all  other  American  wrestlers,  considers  Gotch  to  be  the  most 
wonderful  athlete  of  the  day.  He  makes  the  flat  statement  that 
Gotch  has  got  some  "stuff''  that  no  other  wrestlers  attempt  at 
all  because  they  know  nothing  about  it.  Gotch  invented  the 
famous — or  infamous,  as  you  please — toe  hold,  and,  in  addition 
to  that,  wrestles  around  an  opponent's  legs  in  a  style  adopted  by 
no  other  wrestler. 

It  is  this  "inside  legwork"  and  other  of  Gotch's  great  holds 


24  SPALDING'S    ATHLETIC    LIBRARY. 

and  feints  that  Roller  has  devoted  most  of  his  attention  in  this 
book.  The  half  Nelson  and  commonplace  holds  and  grips  of 
that  character  are  given  little  attention  by  the  doctor,  because 
wrestlers  and  the  public  know  them  well  and  there  is  little  to 
explain  about  them.  But  some  of  the  "stuff"  that  Gotch  tried 
successfully  on  Roller  and  other  good  wrestlers  is  gone  into 
fully  in  this  publication,  with  the  idea  that  the  public  that 
admires  this  sort  of  work  will  have  the  better  appreciation  of 
the  champion's  wonderful  skill  as  well  as  a  full  knowledge  of 
how  difficult  it  will  be  for  any  wrestler  to  compete  successfully 
with  this  great  man. 

To  Dr.  Roller  and  Charles  Postl  the  publishers  extend  the 
heartiest  thanks  for  their  work,  which  was  entirely  gratuitous 
and  given  freely  for  the  betterment  of  the  sport  they  love  so  well. 


SPALDING'S    ATHLETIC    LIBRARY.  25 


HOW  TO  WRESTLE 

It  is  impossible  in  a  work  of  this  brevity  and  scope  to  give 
more  than  a  very  small  part  of  the  great  science  of  wrestling. 
Wrestling  is  as  old  as  man,  perhaps  older,  because  the  spirit 
permeates  all  animals.  It  has  constituted  in  man  perhaps  the 
cleanest  and  most  wholesome  and  most  beneficial  of  all  sports. 

It  is  the  intention  here  to  give  briefly  some  of  the  main  points 
of  wrestling,  as  an  aid  to  beginners,  and  the  writer  will  not 
dwell  herein  on  the  older  and  oft  illustrated  holds,  but  attempt 
to  guide  the  reader  in  original  study  with  a  few  suggestions  as 
to  things  more  recent  in  the  development  of  the  game. 

When  wrestlers  enter  the  ring  they  should  be  seated  in  opposite 
corners  with  their  seconds,  the  duties  of  whom  shall  be  to  see, 
first,  that  their  own  representative  is  well  cared  for.  In  the 
second  place,  that  no  advantage  is  taken  by  the  opponent.  The 
main  assistant  should  satisfy  himself  as  to  the  opponent's  wearing 
apparel,  such  as  shoes,  that  no  hooks  or  injurious  soles  are  worn 
and  that  the  opponent's  nails  are  well  trimmed. 

The  referee  calls  the  contestants  to  the  center  of  the  ring, 
gives  them  their  final  instructions.  The  contestants  should  then 
shake  hands,  go  to  their  separate  corners,  remove  their  robes 
and  prepare  to  wrestle.  The  seconds  at  this  point  shall  get  in 
the  ring  and  take  the  chairs  and  everything  they  use  out  of 
the  corners. 

When  the  referee  calls  time,  without  any  further  delay,  the 
contestants  will  approach  each  other  and  begin  to  wrestle.  As  a 
matter  of  formality  the  contestants  usually  shake  hands  again, 
but  it  is  not  necessary.  If  they  do,  they  should  approach  each 
other  cautiously,  as  shown  in  Photo  i. 


SPALDING'S    ATHLETIC    LIBRARY.  27 


The  Wrestling  Position 

(See  Photo  2.) 

The  contestants  may  wrestle  with  either  foot  in  front,  but 
with  most  men  the  left  foot  forward  makes  the  better  position. 
(It  will  be  noticed  that  all  these  holds  are  given  from  this  posi- 
tion, but  any  wrestler  should  be  able  to  use  one  side  as  well  as 
the  other.) 

It  will  be  noticed  that  the  wrestler  is  stooped,  every  joint  is 
flexed,  the  wrestler  leans  forward,  the  chin  is  low,  the  back 
bowed,  hips  and  knees  are  bent  and  he  is  in  an  easy  position  on 
the  balls  of  the  feet,  so  that  his  balance  can  be  shifted  quickly 
and  easily  from  one  to  the  other,  forward  and  backward,  in  and 
out  and  on  either  side. 

From  this  position  various  movements  are  made  called  "feints' 
to  test  the  opponent's  alertness  and  position. 


4 


f  SPALD  ING'S    ATHLETIC    LIBRARY.  29 

Arm  and  Neck  Hold 

(See  Photo  3.) 

When  all  has  been  learned  about  the  opponent,  from  the  posi- 
tion just  given,  it  is  generally  advisable  to  grasp  the  opponent 
in  some  manner,  in  order  to  test  his  strength  and  equilibrium. 
Accordingly  the  left  hand  is  placed  across  the  back  of  opponent's 
neck.  The  opponent  usually  assumes  a  like  position.  The  aggres- 
sor then  locks  his  right  hand  in  the  opponent's  left  elbow,  the 
feet  are  kept  well  back  out  of  reach,  and  the  joints  are  still  all 
flexed.  From  this  position  the  opponent  can  be  pulled  forward 
and  backward,  or  from  side  to  side,  and  any  flaw  in  his  position 
or  balance  will  soon  suggest  an  opening.  In  this  position  the 
common  mistake  by  all  wrestlers  is  too  much  rigidity,  especially 
by  amateurs. 

In  all  wrestling  no  more  strength  should  be  used,  at  any  time, 
than  is  absolutely  necessary  until  the  supreme  moment.  The 
muscles  should  be  just  as  loose  and  relaxed  as  possible,  and 
remain  in  a  position  of  safety  until  an  opening  suggests  itself, 
then  all  the  strength  and  speed  available  should  be  consummated. 

The  Foot-Hold  from  a  Standing  Position 

(See  Photo  4.) 

Starting  from  position  shown  in  Photo  2,  a  feint  is  made  at 
the  opponent's  head,  intended  to  make  the  opponent  assume  an 
erect  position,  and  when  his  eyes  and  hands  are  lifted  the  aggres- 
sor dives  at  the  opponent's  left  foot,  the  right  hand  grasps  the 
heel  on  the  outside,  the  shoulder  strikes  solidly  against  the  inside 
of  the  opponent's  left  knee,  which  is  grasped  at  the  same  time 
by  the  aggressor's  left  hand.  It  will  be  noticed  that  the  aggressor 
throws  himself  well  under  the  opponent,  dropping  on  his  right 
knee  and  left  foot,  holding  the  opponent's  foot  and  heel  on  the 
floor  while  in  addition  to  the  aggressor's  momentum,  the  pres- 
sure is  exerted  outward  on  the  inside  of  the  knee  and  backward. 
The  opponent's  knee  is  quickly  flexed  as  he  turns  to  the  left  and 
is  forced  to  the  mat. 


SPALDING'S    ATHLETIC    LIBRARY.  31 


Position  2  of  Foot-Hold 

(See  Photo  5.) 

As  the  opponent  strikes  the  mat,  follow  closely,  step  well  into 
the  crotch  and  lift  the  opponent's  foot  and  leg  in  order  to  force 
him  to  bridge  or  turn  in  an  effort  to  escape. 


Position  3  of  Foot-Hold 

(See  Photo  6.) 

As  the  opponent  turns  step  well  into  the  crotch,  release  the 
left  hand  from  the  knee,  first  grasping  around  the  opponent's 
right  thigh,  then  slide  the  right  arm  up,  taking  the  double  thigh 
hold  and  crotch.  From  this  position  a  fall  is  imminent. 


8 


SPALDING'S    ATHLETIC    LIBRARY.  33 


A  Fall  from  a  Foot-Hold 

(See  Photo  7.) 

Both  thighs  are  grasped  tightly  and  the  weight  is  slowly  and 
steadily  applied  until  the  opponent  is  finally  forced  with  both 
shoulders  to  the  mat.  When  a  hold,  as  shown  in  Photo  6,  is 
once  secured,  it  is  almost  impossible  for  any  opponent  to  escape. 

The  danger  is  that  the  aggressor  is  likely  to  become  too  anxious 
in  an  effort  to  force  the  opponent  quickly  to  the  mat  and  lose  his 
balance  and  allow  the  opponent  to  escape.  This  is  not  necessary, 
for  the  opponent  is  sure  to  succumb  in  due  time. 


Escape  from  Foot- Hold 

(See  Photo  8.) 

As  the  opponent  is  forced  to  the  mat,  as  shown  in  Photo  5, 
instead  of  resisting  the  aggressor,  when  he  sees  it  is  once  neces- 
sary for  him  to  fall,  he  should,  long  before  striking  the  mat, 
prepare  to  turn  toward  the  side  upon  which  the  foot  has  been 
grasped.  In  so  turning  he  steps  completely  over  the  aggressor, 
and  assumes  a  safe  position  on  his  hands  and  knees,  as  shown 
by  Photo  47. 


SPALDING'S    ATHLETIC    LIBRARY.  35 


The   Knee  Hold  from  a  Standing   Position 

(See  Photo  9.) 

Starting  from  position  shown  in  Photo  2  the  aggressor  steps 
well  in  with  his  left  foot,  grasping  the  opponent  at  the  same 
time  with  both  hands  at  the  flexure  of  his  left  knee,  with  the 
head  on  the  outside  of  the  hip.  The  aggressor  does  not  drop 
to  the  mat,  as  in  the  hold  previous,  but  instead,  immediately  upon 
grasping  the  knee,  steps  backwards,  raising  not  the  opponent's 
body  but  his  knee  and  leg  only. 

The  aggressor  steps  with  the  left  foot  behind  the  opponent's 
right  heel,  locking  both  feet,  forces  his  opponent  backwards  to 
the  mat,  practically  as  shown  in  Photo  6.  In  this  position  a  fall 
is  secured  as  before  described. 


The  Crotch  Hold  from  a  Standing  Position 

(See  Photo  10.) 

The  aggressor  steps  forward  and  underneath  the  opponent's 
arm,  exactly  as  in  the  hold  just  described.  Instead  of  grasping 
the  opponent's  left  knee  with  both  hands,  the  right  hand  is  placed 
on  flexure  of  the  opponent's  knee  with  the  left  hand  grasping  the 
opposite  thigh  and  crotch  high  up,  balancing  the  opponent  well 
upon  the  arm  and  shoulder. 


SPALDING'S    ATHLETIC    LIBRARY.  37 


Position  2  in  the  Crotch  Hold 

(See  Photo  11.) 

The  opponent  is  lifted  entirely  from  the  mat,  the  left  hand  is 
taken  from  the  crotch  quickly,  and  grasping  the  outside  of  the 
opponent's  right  knee,  in  which  position  both  legs  of  the  opponent 
are  held  by  the  aggressor's  hands  on  the  outside. 


A  Fall  from  a  Crotch  Hold,  Standing  Position 

(See  Photo  12.) 

The  opponent  is  dropped  from  the  shoulder,  jerked  forwards 
by  the  hold  on  the  knees,  and  whipped  violently  to  the  mat;  the 
aggressor  maintains  his  double  hold  on  the  knees  and  follows 
very  closely.  If  the  opponent's  shoulders  do  not  strike  the  mat 
as  he  falls,  a  fall  may  be  secured  by  placing  the  left  knee  on  the 
opponent's  chest,  bearing  heavily  while  the  opponent's  knees  and 
hips  are  elevated. 


SPA-LEING'S    ATHLETIC     LIBRARX. 


The  Arm  Drag 

(See  Photo  13.) 

Start  at  position  shown  in  Photo  3  with  a  secure  hold  with 
the  right  hand  in  the  hollow  of  the  opponent's  left  elbow,  drop- 
ping the  left  hand  from  the  opponent's  neck,  without  changing  the 
position  of  the  feet,  turn  ouickly  to  the  right  on  the  toes,  grasp- 
ing the  opponent  above  the  biceps  of  the  left  arm  in  one  con- 
tinuous movement  throwing  all  the  weight  and  force  downward 
and  to  the  right. 

The  success  of  this  hold  depends  entirely  upon  holding  the 
opponent's  arm  securely  to  the  chest. 


FaD  from  an  Arm  Drag 

(See  Photo  14.) 

The  relative  position  of  the  feet  is  exactly  the  same,  the  toes 
have  not  been  moved  an  inch.  Hold  the  opponent's  arm  tightly 
across  the  chest.  If  he  falls  at  all,  he  is  sure  to  strike  one 
shoulder  and  it  is  not  difficult  to  force  the  other  by  a  gradual 
roll  towards  the  opponent. 

If  the  hold  on  the  arm  should  slip  and  the  opponent  seems 
likely  to  escape,  it  is  well  to  step  above  the  head,  as  shown  in 
Photo  22,  grasp  the  double  body  hold  and  force  a  fall. 


i 


SPALDING'S    ATHLETIC    LIBRARY.  41 

The  Arm  Grape  Vine 

(See  Photo  15.) 

Starting  in  position,  as  shown  in  Photo  3,  with  a  tight  hold  in 
the  hollow  of  opponent's  left  elbow,  drop  the  left  hand  from  the 
opponent's  neck,  turn  slightly  to  the  left,  leading  the  opponent 
to  think  you  are  trying  to  throw  him  to  the  left.  In  resisting 
you  he  will  balance  toward  your  own  right;  take  advantage  of 
this  position  quickly  by  throwing  the  left  arm  completely  above 
the  head,  stepping  across  with  the  left  foot  behind  the  op- 
ponent's left  heel,  and  grasp  the  opposite  arm  high  up  toward  the 
shoulder';  with  a  tight  hold  on  this  arm  and  with  one  continuous 
movement,  turn  forcibly  to  the  right  and  downward. 


Fall  from  an  Arm  Grape  Vine 

(See  Photo  16.) 

The  mistake  is  commonly  made  in  this  hold  as  well  as  the 
one  just  described  of  pulling  downwards  entirely  instead  of  to 
the  right. 

The  opponent  should  be  thrown  in  both  cases  on  a  line  from 
the  opponent's  head  and  shoulders  to  the  aggressor's  right  foot, 
being  downwards  and  almost  a  three-quarter  circle  to  the  right. 
If  both  shoulders  do  not  hit  the  mat  at  once,  it  is  easy  to  force 
the  other  one  to  the  mat  by  maintaining  a  tight  hold  on  the  arm 
and  rolling  gradually  toward  the  opponent. 


18 


SPALDING'S    ATHLETIC    LIBRARY.  43 


The  Arm  and  Leg  Hold  from  a  Standing  Position 

(See  Photo  17.) 

Starting  from  the  position  shown  in  Photo  3,  the  aggressor 
elevates  the  opponent's  left  elbow,  stepping  beneath  it  and  well 
forwards,  dropping  to  the  right  knee,  immediately  between  the 
opponent's  feet,  the  left  arm  slides  downwards  from  the  oppo- 
nent's neck  below  the  shoulder,  grasping  the  arm,  his  head 
passes  under  opponent's  body,  the  right  arm  grasps  the  opponent's 
right  leg. 

Second  Position  in  Arm  and  Leg  Hold 

(See  Photo  18.) 

Formerly  the  aggressor  stood  up  and  lifted  his  opponent  high 
in  the  air,  but  this  is  a  waste  of  strength.  It  is  easier  to  con- 
tinue the  movement,  dropping  both  knees  and  balancing  the 
opponent  across  the  back.  This  is  done  by  pulling  down  with 
the  left  arm  and  at  the  same  time  raising  him  high  with  the 
right  arm. 


SPALDING'S    ATHLETIC    LIBRARY.  45 


Fall  from  the  Arm  and  Leg  Hold 

(See  Photo  19.) 

The  opponent  should  be  lifted  in  almost  a  vertical  position  in 
order  that  the  head  will  slide  out  to  the  right,  beyond  the 
opponent's  hip  and  not  beneath  the  shoulder.  The  hold  on  the 
arm  and  leg  are  both  maintained  and  followed  closely  by  pressure 
towards  the  opponent,  whose  shoulders  may  be  forced  to  the 
mat.  If  the  fall  is  not  secured  by  the  opponent's  dropping,  the 
position  may  be  changed  to  crotch  and  half-Nelson  quickly,  as 
shown  in  Photo  63. 

The  Flying  Mare 

(See  Photo  20.) 

Starting,  as  in  Photo  3,  with  a  secure  hold  in  the  hollow  of 
opponent's  left  elbow,  drop  the  left  hand  from  opponent's  neck, 
step  well  across  with  the  left  foot  and  drop  to  the  fight  knee, 
grasp  the  opponent  with  the  left  hand  over  the  deltoid,  and  turn 
the  back  squarely  to  the  opponent. 


SPALDING'S    ATHLETIC    LIBRAK*.  4't 


Position  2  in  Flying  Mare 

(See  Photo  21.) 

The  mistake  is  commonlv  made  here  in  lunging  forward  before 
the  opponent's  feet  leave  the  mat.  The  proper  way  to  execute 
this  hold  is,  after  turning  the  back  to  the  opponent,  pull  down- 
ward, roll  the  opponent  over  your  back  until  his  feet  leave  the 
mat,  then  lunge  forward  as  much  as  you  like,  and  the  fall  will 
be  secured,  as  seen  in  Photo  14.  Or,  if  the  hold  on  the  arm 
should  slip,  step  across  with  the  right  foot,  as  described  before, 
and  secure  the  fall  with  the  double  body  hold,  as  shown  in 
Photo  22. 


23 


SPALDING'S   ATHLETIC  '  LIBRARY,  ' * '  '  *'»  ' 


The  Break  for  Arm  Drag,  Grapevine,  Flying  Mare  and  Cross 

Buttock 

(See  Photo  23.) 

As  the  aggressor  drops  the  left  hand  from  the  opponent's  neck 
and  starts  to  turn,  the  opponent  should  flex  forward,  balancing 
to  the  right,  and  drop  quickly  to  the  right  knee,  reach  over  and 
grasp  one  or  the  other  of  the  aggressor's  ankles. 

It  will  be  quite  impossible  for  an  aggressor  to  roll  an  oppo- 
nent if  in  this  position  or  with  any  of  these  holds  if  the  opponent 
is  anchored  on  the  other  side  to  the  aggressor's  foot. 


Chancery  and  Bar  Hold 

(See  Photo  24.) 

Starting  in  position  shown  in  Photo  2,  grasp  the  opponent  by 
the  back  of  the  neck  with  the  left  hand,  pulling  forward,  and  by 
the  aid  of  the  right  shove  his  head  forward  under  the  left  arm. 


SPALDING'S    ATHLETIC    LIBRARY. 


Second  Position  in  Chancery  and  Bar  Hold 

(See  Photo  25.) 

Chancery  hold  is  secured  by  the  left  arm  around  the  head 
and  the  hand  across  the  chin  of  the  opponent,  the  head  is  twisted 
to  the  left  by  the  aid  of  the  right  arm,  if  necessary 

As  the  opponent  naturally  elevates  his  own  left  arm,  the  right 
arm  is  shoved  across  in  the  bar  position,  as  shown  in  Photo  25. 


Position  3  in  Chancery  and  Bar  Hold 

(See  Photo  26.) 

The   movement   is   continued  by   the  aggressor   downwards   as 
well  as  to  the  left,  forcing  the  opponent  forward  and  off  his  feet. 


V 


27 


SPALDING'S    ATHLETIC    MHIVARX.  3S 


A  Fall  from  the  Chancery  and  Bar  Hold 

(See  Photo  27.) 

The  movement  is   continued,  keeping  close  to   opponent  until 
both  shoulders  are  forced  to  the  mat. 


A  Counter  for  Chancery  and  Bar  Hold 

(See  Photo  28.) 

The  opponent  allows  the  aggressor  to  take  both  the  chancery 
and  bar,  as  shown  in  Photo  25.  The  left  arm  of  the  opponent  is 
slipped  well  up  toward  the  shoulder,  grasping  the  right  arm  high 
and  tight.  The  right  hand  of  the  opponent  is  placed  securely 
on  the  front  of  the  aggressor's  thigh,  just  above  the  knee.  The 
opponent  drops  to  the  right  knee. 


SPALDING'S    ATHLETIC    LIBRARY.  5b 


Position  2  of  Counter  for  Chancery  and  Bar  Hold 

(See  Photo  29.) 

The  movement  is  continued,  the  opponent  pulling  the  aggressor 
towards  him,  sitting  on  his  own  right  hip  well  under  the  aggres- 
sor, turning  then  on  the  left  hip,  pulling  down  by  the  hold  on  the 
aggressor's  arm,  and  pushing  with  a  brace  against  aggressor's  left 
knee;  the  aggressor  is  then  thrown  entirely  over  the  opponent 
and  to  the  left,  and  a  fall  is  secured,  as  shown  in  Photo  19. 


A  Chancery  Hold  from  a  Standing  Position 

(See  Photo  30.) 

Start  in  position  shown  in  Photo  2,  reach  over  the  opponent's 
head  with  the  right  hand  grasping  the  chin,  grasp  your  own  right 
arm  with  the  left  hand  across  the  opponent's  left  ear  and  base 
of  the  head,  twist  downward  and  backward  to  the  right  until  the 
opponent  is  forced  to  the  mat. 

A  fall  is  secured,  as  shown  in  Photo  31,  by  maintaining  this 
hold  and  twisting  downward,  backward  and  to  the  right. 


3, 


^ 


* 


32 


SPALDING'S    ATHLETIC    LIBRARX.  57 


A  Counter  for  Chancery  Hold  from  a  Standing  Position  in  Front 

(See  Photo  32.) 

Step  well  forward  and  downward,  leading  the  opponent  to 
grasp  the  chancery  hold  about  the  head.  With  your  own  hands 
loosen  the  opponent's  grasp  about  the  head  sufficiently  to  be  able 
to  turn  to  the  left. 


SPALDING'S    ATHLETIC    LIBRARY. 


Position  2  Counter  for  Chancery  and  Bar 

(See  Photo  33-) 

Drop  to  the  right  knee  and  grasp  your  opponent's,  left  leg,  at 
the  same  time  throwing  the  left  arm  back  of  the  opponent's  neck. 


Position  3  Counter  for  Chancery  and  Bar 

(See  Photo  34-) 

Sit  down,  throwing  the  opponent  across  you  towards  the  left, 
keeping  a  tight  hold  on  the  leg  and  neck. 


36* 


SPALDING'S    ATHLETIC    LIBRARY.  61 


A  Fall  from  this  Counter 

(See  Photo  35.) 

A  fall  is  secured  by  balancing  the  opponent,  raising  his  leg  and 
placing  all  the  weight  across  the  chest. 


Double  Body  Hold  from  Standing  Position 

(See  Photo  36.) 

Starting  in  position  shown  in  Photo  3,  shove  the  opponent's 
elbow  upwards,  rush  him  backward,  and  grasp  both  hands  behind 
the  small  of  his  back,  place  the  chin  against  opponent's  shoulder 
about  the  clavicle,  step  forward  and  behind  the  opponent't  right 
heel,  draw  him  in  tightly  with  the  arms  across  the  back,  and 
force  him  backwards  to  the  mat,  as  shown  in  Photo  37. 


J 


SPALDING'S    ATHLETIC    LIBRARY. 


Break  for  the  Double  Body  Hold  in  Standing  Position 
(See  Photo  38.) 

If  the  aggressor  succeeds  in  locking  the  arms  about  your  body 
and  beneath  your  own  arms,  clasp  the  hands  tightly,  pressing  his 
arms  together,  at  the  same  time  leaning  well  forward  and  with- 
drawing the  feet  and  hips  as  far  as  possible. 


1 


40 


SPALDING'S    ATHLETIC    T/jRR^nY.  C5 


Another  Counter  for  Double  Body  Hold 

(See  Photo  39.) 

Place  both  hands  against  the  opponent's  face,  chin  or  nose 
and  push  violently  upwards  and  backwards  until  he  is  forced  to 
release  his  grasp. 


Hip  Lock  from  Standing  Position 

(See  Photo  40.) 

Start,  as  in  Photo  3,  make  your  opponent  assume  as  erect  a 
position  as  possible,  step  in  with  the  left  foot  immediately  between 
the  opponent's  feet,  allow  the  left  arm  to  slide  across  and  com- 
pletely around  the  opponent's  neck,  keep  a  tight  hold  on  his  left 
elbow  without  changing  the  relative  position  of  your  feet,  turn 
on  the  balls  of  the  toes,  in  an  exactly  opposite  direction.  With 
your  back  to  the  opponent  hold  him  tightly  and  closely  to  you. 
Bend  the  knees,  and  make  turn  so  that  the  hips  are  placed  well 
under  the  weight  of  opponent,  who  is  then  lifted  from  the  mat. 


SPALDING'S    ATHLETIC    LIBRARY.  67 

Fall  from  Hip  Lock 

(See  Photo  41.) 

When  the  opponent  has  been  lifted  from  the  mat,  a  fall  is 
easily  secured  by  whipping  him  underneath  and  to  the  right. 
Keep  the  hold  about  the  neck  and  arms  very  tight. 

The  mistake  is  made  in  this  hold  usually  by  trying  to  swing 
your  opponent  off  his  feet,  or  to  throw  him  before  he  has  been 
lifted  in  the  air.  He  should  be  lifted  first,  then  swung  as  far 
as  necessary,  for  he  is  powerless  to  resist  after  he  has  left 
the  mat. 

A  Go  Behind 

(See  Photo  42.) 

In  all  wrestling  a  position  behind  is  considered  one  of  great 
advantage,  especially  among  high-class  professionals. 

There  are  many  methods  of  getting  behind,  but  only  one  will 
be  given  here,  and  that  the  one  executed  by  Fred  Beell,  "The 
Wisconsin  Demon,"  better  perhaps  than  by  any  other  wrestler. 

Beell  starts  in  close,  as  shown  in  Photo  32,  allowing  the 
opponent  to  try  for  a  chancery  hold  about  the  head;  with  both 
hands  he  grasps  the  opponent's  left  arm,  whose  hands  he  sepa- 
rates. He  prys  the  opponent's  left  arm  outwards  like  a  pump 
handle,  at  the  same  time  lifting  upwards  and  backwards  with  the 
head  and  neck  in  his  opponent's  arm  pit.  By  this  movement  his 
opponent  is  thrown  forward.  He  escapes  the  arm  entirely,  as 
shown  in  Photo  43,  stepping  outside  of  his  opponent's  left  foot 
with  his  inside  leg,  grasping  the  opponent  in  the  crotch  with  the 
inside  arm  and  stepping  at  once  behind  him. 


r 


43 


SPALDING'S    ATHLETIC    LI&HWY 


Bringing  Your  Opponent  to  the  Mat  from  a  Position  Behind 

(See  Photo  44.) 

When  you  get  behind  your  opponent,  do  not  hesitate  a  second, 
but  throw  your  opponent  to  the  mat  immediately.  This  may  be 
done  in  several  ways. 

If  you  have  plenty  of  strength  to  throw  away  or  are  wrestling 
handicaps  with  lighter  men,  or  anxious  to  humiliate  or  disable 
your  opponent,  you  may  lift  him  high  in  the  air,  and  throw  him 
heavily  to  the  mat.  This  is  unsafe,  however,  by  the  majority  of 
men  in  close  matches,  and  can  easily  be  blocked  by  a  grapevine 
with  either  foot. 

A  simple  and  good  method  is  to  take  a  double  body  hold  with 
one  arm  well  across  the  front  of  the  body,  and  the  other  arm 
safe,  dropping  to  the  right  knee  and  stepping  well  across  at  the 
same  time  with  the  left  leg,  as  shown  in  Photo  44. 


45 


46 


SPALDING'S    ATHLETIC    LIBRARY.  71 


Fall  Secured  from  a  Position   Behind 

(See  Photo  45-) 

From  a  position,  as  shown  in  Photo  44;  the  opponent  is  held 
closely  and  pulled  backward  across  the  extended  knee.  If  his 
outside  wrist  is  grasped  at  the  same  time,  he  has  no  protection, 
and  when  pulled  backward  is  likely  to  strike  both  shoulders  at 
the  same  time. 


Another  Method  of  Throwing  the  Opponent  from  Behind 

(See  Photo  46.) 

It  is  difficult  to  illustrate  this  position  correctly  in  a  photo. 
The  position  here  is  not  accurate  but  will  serve  the  purpose. 

The  opponent  is  held  with  a  double  body  hold  from  behind 
very  closely.  The  aggressor  with  his  left  foot  immediately  be- 
tween his  opponent's  feet  raises  the  right  foot  and  plants  it  in 
the  opponent's  right  knee.  This  method  is  extremely  effective 
and  spectacular  if  properly  executed. 

But  the  mistake  is  commonly  made  right  here  by  the  aggressor 
in  an  erect  position  pulling  backwards  instead  of  downwards. 
The  aggressor  should  drop  straight  down  close  to  and  imme- 
diately beneath  his  opponent,  pulling  his  opponent  not  backwards 
but  downwards  over  him.  The  opponent  will  of  necessity  fall  to 
.the  mat,  usually  in  the  position  shown  in  Prioto  49. 


SPALDING'S    ATHLETIC    LIBRARY.  la 

Holding  Your  Opponent  Down 

(See  Photo  47.) 

There  are  many  methods  and  positions  used  to  hold  your  oppo- 
nent to  the  mat,  which  is  an  extremely  important  factor  in  win- 
ning a  match.  All  other  methods  seem  to  fade  into  insignificance 
compared  to  that  position  originated  and  developed  by  the 
greatest  champion  that  ever  lived,  Frank  A.  Gotch.'  That  is  the 
position  given  here. 

The  body  should  be  very  close  and  well  over  the  opponent's 
hips,  the  hands  may  be  either  grasped  in  the  opponent's  crotch, 
with  the  right  hand  in  front  of  and  across  the  opponent's  right 
thigh,  or  the  right  arm  may  be  across  the  opponent's  right  thigh, 
grasping  the  same  on  the  inside,  while  the  left  hand  grasps  the    > 
opponent's  nearest  ankle.     The  former  is  a  position  of  rest  and  f 
safety,   while   the   latter   is   an   aggressive   position   equally  safe.  2 : 
This  position  seems  better  than  all  others,  because  the  aggressor 
is  out  of  reach  of  all  harm  and  is  safely  beyond  all  side  rolls 
and  chancery  holds,  and  at  the  same  time  in  a  position  to  di-sturb 
or  even  throw  his  opponent  by  any  one  of  the  many  different 
locks.     From  this  position  a  large  variety  of  holds  and  locks  are 
available,   only  a  very  few  of  which  will  be  described  here  on 
account  of  limited  space. 

If  the  opponent  attempts  to  sit  up,  pry  forward  by  the  ankle,  at 
the  same  time  knocking  his  arm  from  beneath  him.  This  throws 
the  opponent  forward  and  out  of  position. 

If  the  opponent  attempts  to  stand,  it  is  only  necessary  to  keep 
the  same  hold  on  the  leg  and  ankle  and  stand  with  him.  When 
the  opponent  is  erect,  kick  his  other  foot  out  from  under  him, 
and  he  is  down  on  the  mat  again. 

The  Toe  Hold 

(See  Photo  48.) 

From  position  shown  in  Photo.  47  step  with  the  left  foot  inside 
of  and  underneath  opponent's  right  shin.  A  grasp  is  made  for 
opponent's  left  foot.  In  order  to  save  himself  the  opponent 
extends  his  left  knee,  paying  no  attention  to  his  right.  His  right 
toe  is  quickly  grasped  and  wrapped  around  the  thigh  of  the 
aggressor,  which  is  held  close  up  into  the  opponent's  crotch. 
Pressure  is  applied  like  the  old  time  dentist's  key  to  wrap  and 
roll  the  opponent's  legs  around  the  aggressor's  thigh,  while  force 
is  applied  to  the  extreme  end  of  the  toes.  There  is  no  escape 
from  this  hold  ordinarily,  and  though  it  is  not  used  to  force  the 
opponent's  shoulders  to  the  mat,  the  pain  is  so  severe  that  the 
opponent  usually  is  glad  to  give  up  and  concede  the  fall. 


49 


50 


••HI^I 


SPALDING'S    ATHLETIC    LIBRARY.  75 


Throwing  an  Opponent  Out  of  Position 

(See  Photo  49-) 

If  it  seems  desirable,  hold  an  opponent  down  by  the  double 
body  hold  from  behind.  With  the  right  arm  across  and  in  front 
of  the  right  thigh,  the  opponent  may  be  turned  by  a  pry,  while 
the  hands  are  locked  in  front  of  the  body.  The  opponent  is 
pryed  and  pulled  to  the  right  until  he  is  thrown  out  of  position, 
as  shown  in  this  photo. 


The  Half  Nelson  from  the  Gotch  Position 

(See  Photo  50.) 

The  Gotch  position  of  holding  a  man  down  is  shown  in  Photo 
47.  The  opponent  often  attempts  to  get  up.  Instead  of  throwing 
him  forward  on  the  mat  when  he  makes  the  mistake  of  reaching 
back,  as  wrestlers  sometimes  do,  the  half  Nelson  is  applied  with 
the  right  arm  beneath  the  opponent's  right  arm  and  over  the 
back  of  the  neck  with  the  left  arm  firmly  holding  the  opponent's 
ankle. 


SPALDING'S    ATHLETIC    LIBRARY.  77 


Position  2  —  Half  Nelson  from  the  Gotch  Position 

(See  Photo  51.) 

From  the  position  shown  in  Photo  50,  opponent  is  pryed  and 
lifted  forwards,  a  deeper  and  tighter  grasp  is  taken  about  the 
neck,  the  left  arm  is  transferred  from  the  ankle  to  the  crotch. 


Fall  from  a  Half  Nelson 

(See  Photo  52.) 

The  opponent  may  be  gradually  forced  to  the  mat,  as  seen  in 
Photo  63.  A  fall  now  is  sometimes  more  quickly  secured  by  lift- 
ing the  opponent  with  a  deep  hold  in  the  crotch  until  the  hips 
and  legs  are  well  off  the  mat  and  the  weight  of  both  the  opponent 
and  aggressor  are  thrown  on  the  chest  and  neck  of  opponent 
who  is  forced  to  succumb. 


SPALDING'S    ATHLETIC    LIBRARY.  79 


Break  for  Half  Nelson 

(See  Photo  53.) 

As  the  aggressor  reaches  for  a  half  Nelson,  if  his  hold  can  be 
released  from  the  ankle,  the  opponent  sits  up,  turns  the  head 
away  from  the  aggressor,  making  the  distance  from  his  head  to 
his  own  shoulders  as  far  as  possible.  This  weakens  the  aggres- 
sor's leverage,  and  as  the  weight  is  thrown  forcibly  backwards, 
the  aggressor's  hand  usually  slides  off  the  neck,  leaving  the  oppo 
nent  safe,  in  a  position  as  shown  in  Photo  54. 


56 


SPALDINO'S    ATHLETIC    LIBRARY.  81 

Escape  from  the  Under  Position 

(See  Photo  55-) 

About  the  only  hold  available  at  this  point  to  hold  the  opponent 
to  the  mat  is  the  double  body  hold  from  behind,  at  times  strength- 
ened by  one  hand  inside  the  thigh.  From  this  position  the  man 
beneath  flexes  his  left  leg  and  turns  the  left  side,  reaching  back- 
wards and  grasps  the  opponent's  left  leg.  He  now  throws  all 
the  weight,  increased  by  the  leverage,  across  one  arm  of  the 
opponent,  then  prys  backward  and  turns  to  the  left.  The  oppo- 
nent's hands  will  be  separated,  and  he  will  be  thrown  forward 
and  on  his  face,  gladly  loosening  his  grip  and  using  his  arm  to 
protect  himself  against  a  fall.  The  man  beneath  swings  around 
to  the  left  in  a  safe  position. 


Scissor  Hold 

(See  Photo  56.) 

As  the  opponent  escapes  from  the  half  Nelson,  as  shown  in 
Photo  54,  the  aggressor's  right  knee  is  naturally  forward.  His 
left  arm  is  taken  from  the  body  and  grasps  the  opponent  violently 
across  his  face  and  nose. 

Position  2  of  Scissor  Hold 

(See  Photo  57.) 

The  aggressor  pulls  his  opponent  backward  across  the  aggres- 
sor's right  leg,  at  the  same  time  sitting  down  and  holding  tight 
his  face  Hold. 


• 


58 


s  59 


SPALDING'S    ATHLETIC  ' -LI-BAa1  B  Y.  83 

Position  3  of  Scissor  Hold 

(See  Photo  58.) 

As  the  opponent  is  pulled  forcibly  back,  the  aggressor  throws 
the  left  leg  quickly  across  the  body  and  locks  it  with  the  right. 
Great  scissors  pressure  is  applied  by  the  legs  around  the  body, 
as  high  up  on  the  ribs  as  possible,  while  the  aggressor  pulls  forci- 
bly backwards  and  upwards.  The  opponent's  shoulders  are 
pressed  to  the  mat  or  he  is  forced  to  concede  the  fall  from  the 
extreme  pain. 

Gotch's  Inside  Leg  Work 

(See  Photo  59-) 

This  work  has  been  developed  entirely  by  the  present  champion 
of  the  world  and  is  in  reality  twenty  years  in  advance  of  the 
times.  It  is  impossible  for  the  writer  to  give  this  work  completely 
or  even  accurately,  because  it  is  probably  true  that  no  man  living, 
but  the  present  champion,  is  entirely  familiar  with  this  work. 
This  may  serve,  however,  to  give  the  reader  some  idea  of  the 
work  which  has  made  Gotch  the  greatest  of  all  wrestlers  that 
ever  lived. 

From  the  position  shown  in  Photo  47,  the  opponent  is  dis- 
turbed by  a  hold  on  his  right  ankle ;  in  an  attempt  to  avoid 
danger  he  extends  the  right  knee;  as  he  does  so  he  assumes  a 
dangerous  position. 

Position  2 — Inside  Leg  Work 

(See  Photo  60.) 

The  aggressor  grasps  the  left  knee  of  the  opponent  with  the 
right  hand,  at  the  same  time  lifting  the  opponent's  right  leg  by 
the  original  hold  on  the  ankle,  jerking  the  opponent  well  toward 
him.  The  aggressor  steps  with  the  left  knee  inside  the  opponent's 
crotch  and  takes  the  double  body  hold. 


SPALDING'S    ATHLETIC    LIBRARY.  85 


Position  3 — Inside  Leg  Work 

(See  Photo  61.) 

As  the  opponent  attempts  to  sit  up,  as  shown  in  Photo  60,  the 
right  hand  placed  against  the  neck  and  chin  pushes  the  opponent 
back  against  the  mat  with  one  shoulder  down. 


Position  4 — Inside  Leg  Work 

(See  Photo  62.) 

If  the  opponent  is  allowed  to  lean  forward,  as  in  Photo  60,  he 
will  invariably  expose  himself  to  a  half  Nelson,  though  not  often 
palpably  so,  as  in  Photo  62.  At  the  slightest  exposure  the 
aggressor  grasps  the  opponent  about  the  neck,  either  with  chan- 
cery or  half  Nelson.  A  fall  may  then  be  secured  by  changing 
from  the  inside  leg  to  a  crotch  hold,  and  apply  the  pressure  as  in 
Photo  63. 


SPALDING'S    ATHLETIC    LIBRARY.  87 


Position  5 — Inside  Leg  Work 

(See  Photo  64.) 

If  the  opponent  does  not  expose  himself  to  a  half  Nelson,  the 
right  hand  may  be  used  to  press  the  opponent's  face  backwards, 
as  in  Photo  61,  then  shift  from  the  inside  leg  and  crotch  or  knee, 
as  in  Photo  64. 


66 


SPALDING'S    ATHLETIC 


Position  6 — inside  Leg  Work 

(See  Photo  65.) 

As  the  pressure  is  applied  forwards  and  towards  the  opponent's 
shoulder,  aided  by  lifting  the  opponent's  inside  knee,  the  oppo- 
nent is  forced  to  bridge  and  turn  away  from  the  aggressor ;  as  he 
does  so  the  aggressor's  hold  with  the  left  arm  is  shifted  from  the 
opponent's  left  knee  across  to  the  right  knee.  Slight  pressure  on 
opponent's  face  with  aggressor's  right  hand  keeps  the  opponent 
back  in  a  helpless  position. 

When  traction  is  applied  to  opponent's  right  knee  he  is  forced 
to  alternate  from  side  to  side.  As  he  does  so  the  hold  is  changed 
from  one  knee  to  the  other,  and  he  is  kept  in  a  safe  position  by 
the  pressure  on  the  face. 


Position   7 — Inside  Leg  Work 

(See  Photo  66.) 

Aggressor  now  locks  the  hands  and  wrists  and  applies  pressure 
across  the  short  ribs  with  the  inside  elbow. 


•s 


SPALDING'S    ATHLETIC    LIBRARY.  91 


Position  8 — Inside  Leg  Work 

(See  Photo  67.) 

If  the  opponent  succeeds  in  sitting  up,  which  he  will  invariably 
try  to  do,  the  aggressor  places  his  right  arm  around  and  across 
the  face,  taking  secure  chancery  hold,  at  the  same  time  keeping 
the  opponent's  knees  off  the  mat. 


A  Fall  from  Inside  Leg  Work 

(See  Photo  68.) 

With  the  chancery  hold  applied,  as  in  Photo  67,  pull  the 
opponent  towards  you,  lift  him  on  your  knees,  throw  him  to  the 
right.  Chances  are  that  he  will  fall  flat  on  his  two  shoulders. 
Pressure  may  be  exerted  on  the  face  and  on  th«  chest,  and  if  a 
fall  is  not  secured  quickly,  shift  the  half  Nelson  and  crotch  hold, 
as  in  Photo  b* 


92  SPALDING'S    ATHLETIC    LIBRAHl.. 


ADDITIONAL  HOLDS,  ETC. 


The  Strangle  Hold 

While  a  strangle  hold  is  anything  that  cuts  the  opponent's  wind 
off,  there  is  a  great  deal  of  argument  about  what  really  constitutes 
a  strangle  hold.  The  object  in  wrestling  is  to  place  the  opponent's 
shoulders  to  the  mat  and  not  to  choke  him,  and  anything  which 
chokes  or  cuts  off  the  wind,  when  applied  by  the  aggressor,  no 
matter  how,  should  constitute  a  strangle  hold  and  be  barred  from 
all  wrestling. 

This  may  be  applied  by  the  hands  across  the  mouth  and  nose, 
or  by  the  chancery  hold  around  the  head,  with  the  face  buried 
in  the  flesh  of  aggressor's  side;  it  may  be  applied  with  the 
scissor  hold  across  the  face,  but  in  any  manner  whatsoever  when 
applied  by  the  aggressor  that  hold  which  cuts  the  opponent's 
wind  off  should  be  called  a  strangle  hold. 

This  does  not  apply  to  an  arm  across  the  throat.  Sometimes 
this  is  inaccurately  called  a  half  strangle,  because  when  a  pry  is 
exerted  across  the  throat  the  opponent  chokes  himself  by  resist- 
ing. This  is  not  in  any  sense  a  strangle. 

Elbow  and  Back  Heel 

Starting  in  a  position  as  shown  in  Photo  3,  with  a  tight  hold  by 
the  right  hand  in  the  opponent's  left  elbow,  the  left  arm  is 
dropped  from  the  shoulder  and  placed  across  the  opponent's  throat, 
so  that  the  left  hand  grasps  the  opponent's  left  deltoid,  with  the 
forearm  beneath  the  opponent's  chin.  Pry  upwards  and  back- 
wards and  step  behind  and  on  the  outside  of  the  opponent's  heel. 
The  opponent  is  forced  backward  until  he  falls  and  the  shoulders 
strike  the  mat. 


SPALDiNG'S    ATHLETIC    LIBRARY.  93 

The  Cross  Buttock 

Starting  in  the  position  shown  in  Photo  3,  the  left  hand  is 
dropped  from  the  neck  of  the  opponent  and  grasps  the  opponent's 
left  arm  from  beneath,  somewhat  as  in  Photo  13.  The  aggressor 
steps  well  forward,  crossing  his  own  left  thigh  with  the  left  thigh 
of  opponent.  From  this  position  the  opponent  is  lifted  across 
the  buttock  of  aggressor  and  thrown  by  the  aggressor  directly  to 
the  mat.  If  the  aggressor  does  not  succeed  in  getting  well 
enough  forward,  the  opponent  will  be  thrown  forward  and  to  the 
right  forty-five  degrees.  If  the  aggressor  gets  a  position  even 
with  and  on  the  side  of  opponent,  the  opponent  should  be  pulled 
and  thrown  straight  across  and  to  the  right  side.  If  the 
aggressor  steps  far  enough  forward  to  lock  the  buttocks  per- 
fectly, the  opponent  should  be  thrown  backwards  to  the  aggres- 
sor's right  forty-five  degrees.  A  fall  is  generally  secured,  as 
shown  in  Photo  14. 

The  Sit  Back 

Starting  as  in  Photo  3,  test  the  opponent's  balance  by  shoving 
him  backwards.  When  you  have  succeeded  in  making  the  oppo- 
nent lean  forward  well  against  you,  shoot  the  left  foot  forward 
outside  of  the  opponent's  left  toe.  Sit  back  on  the  right  hip,  pull 
the  opponent  quickly  towards  you  and  over  you,  turning  to  the 
right,  and  keeping  a  tight  hold  on  the  elbow  and  neck  of  oppo- 
nent. You  will  find  the  opponent  will  be  brought  to  a  fall,  as  in 
Photo  41. 

The  Qyarter  Nelson 

The  quarter  Nelson  is  not  a  serviceable  hold.  It  is  used  chiefly 
by  amateurs  and  exhibitionists. 

It  is  applied  by  placing  the  left  hand  under  the  right  arm 
(assuming  that  the  aggressor  is  working  on  the  right  side),  the 
right  hand  across  the  back  of  the  opponent's  neck,  the  aggressor's 
left  palm  downwards,  grasping  his  own  right  wrist,  pressure  is 
made  forward  and  against  the  opponent. 

This  hold  is  only  serviceable  when  the  opponent's  near  leg  has 
been  locked  by  the  aggressor's  foot,  or  as  it  is  sometimes  used 


94  SPALDING'S    ATHLETIC    LIBRARY. 

by  good  wrestlers  as  a  means  of  securing  a  deep  chancery  hold 
about  the  neck. 

Further  Nelson 

The  aggressor  on  the  right  side  of  the  opponent  reaches  across 
and  takes  a  half  Nelson  on  opponent's  side,  the  left  arm  under 
opponent's  left  shoulder  and  over  the  back  of  the  neck. 

This  is  also  not  a  serviceable  hold,  excepting  when  the  oppo- 
nent's inside  leg  is  locked  on  his  inside  arm  by  the  aggressor's 
nearest  knee. 

It  is  not  a  safe  thing  to  try,  because  it  allows  the  under  man 
an  opportunity  to  escape. 

Three  Quarter  Nelson 

When  the  half  Nelson  is  secured  by  the  right  arm  under  the 
opponent's  right  arm  and  over  the  back  of  the  neck,  and  the 
opponent  is  still  on  his  hands  and  knees,  the  left  arm  is  placed 
around  under  the  chest  and  locked  with  the  right  over  the  back 
of  opponent's  neck.  The  opponent's  head  is  thrown  downward 
to  the  mat.  With  the  shoulders  well  under  the  opponent's  body, 
he  is  heaved  forward  until  he  turns  a  somersault  and  falls,  as 
in  Photo  31. 

Double  Nelson,  or  Sometimes  Called  the  Full  Nelson 

The  aggressor  on  either  side  has  each  arm  under  the  corre- 
sponding arm  of  the  opponent  and  locked  over  above  the  oppo- 
nent's neck.  The  shoulders  of  the  opponent  are  pryed  upward 
and  forward,  while  the  neck  is  pryed  downward  on  his  own 
chest. 

This  is  generally  barred  from  amateur  work  and  not  much  used 
by  professionals,  though  very  dangerous  when  properly  applied, 
as  it  is  by  such  men  as  "Farmer"  Burns. 

The  Arm  Roll 

The  arm  roll  is  used  generally  as  a  counter.  When  the 
aggressor  makes  the  mistake  of  reaching  for  any  Nelson  while 
the  opponent  is  still  in  good  position,  the  opponent  grasps  the 


SPALDING'S    ATHLETIC    LIBRARY.  95 

aggressor's  arm  quickly,  tightly  and  high  up,  rolls  forward  and 
over,  turning  his  opponent  into  a  bridge,  and  falls,  as  in  Photo  16. 
These  arm  rolls  are  guarded  against  by  using  the  Gotch  posi- 
tion in  holding  a  man  down  in  the  first  place  and  never  reaching 
for  a  Nelson  until  your  opponent  has  been  pulled  out  of  position 
in  the  second  place. 

The  Double  Wrist  Hold 

Walk  up  to  your  opponent  stooping  low,  both  elbows  close  in 
and  the  chin  close  to  the  chest.  It  the  opponent  can  be  induced 
to  take  a  double  body  hold,  grasp  both  his  wrists  and  sit  down, 
turn  the  head  out  beneath  one  arm,  hold  both  wrists  tightly, 
throw  the  opponent  backward  over  your  head  and  shoulders, 
and  the  chances  are  that  a  flying  fall  will  be  secured. 

Single  Wrist  Hold 

Start  in  the  same  manner  as  above,  raising  one  elbow  and 
keeping  the  other  elbow  close.  If  the  opponent  takes  a  body 
hold  with  one  arm,  prevent  him  taking  a  chancery  hold  by  your 
other  hand.  Grasp  the  wrist  that  he  places  against  the  body 
and  secure  a  fall  in  one  of  the  two  following  methods : 

First. — Turn  the  head  outward  underneath  the  arm  that  you 
have  grasped  by  the  wrist  with  both  hands,  sit  down  and  throw 
the  opponent  over  the  shoulder  and  into  a  fall. 

Second. — Instead  of  grasping  opponent's  wrist  with  both  hands, 
grasp  the  opponent's  wrist  with  the  hand  on  the  same  side,  drop 
down  to  that  knee,  raise  the  other  arm  slightly  to  induce  the  ag- 
gressor to  take  a  bar  hold.  As  he  does  so,  allow  him  to  turn 
you.  Turn  your  own  head  in  the  opposite  direction  and  roll 
him  by  the  wrist  around  the  body.  This  makes  him  throw  him- 
self and  will  prove  a  great  surprise. 

DR.  B.  F.  ROLLER. 


WHAT  A  WRESTLER   NEEDS 

A  wrestler's  apparel  consists  of  Spalding  full  length  tights, 
which  can  be  obtained  for  $1.00  per  pair  in  sanitary  cotton,  $2.50 
in  cut  worsted,  and  $4.50  in  best  worsted.  The  Spalding  No.WA 
wrestling  full  tights  are  made  especially  for  the  purpose  after  the 
suggestions  and  ideas  of  prominent  wrestlers,  including  Gotch, 
Oleson  and  others.  The  best  worsted  is  used,  knit  to  shape,  put 
together  by  hand  and  reinforced  at  knees  with  strong,  silk  finish 
worsted.  They  are  made  in  colors  black,  navy  blue  and  maroon, 
and  cost  $6.00  per  pair.  It  is  well  to  have  the  knees  covered 

with    protectors,    which 

are  to    be    sewn    on   the 

tights.     These  are  inex- 
pensive, ranging  in  price 

from    75  cents  a  pair  for 

the  best  (No.  B),  which  are 

covered  with  soft  tanned 

horsehide    and    padded 

with  hair  felt,  to  50  cents 

for  tanned  leather,  nicely  Kos-  61  an<*  62. 
padded  (No.  62),  and  25  cents  for  durable  cloth,  padded  with 
wool  felt  (No0  61).  A  jersey  is  desirable,  which  costs  from 
$1.25  to  $4.00,  according  to  quality,  and  a  pair  of  strong  leather  or 
canvas  high  cut  gymnasium  shoes.  These  latter  cost  from  $1.00 
to  $1.75  for  canvas  and  up  to  $5.00  for  leather,  the  latter  being  of 
kangaroo  with  elkskin  sole,  extra 
light,  and  hand  made.  A  very 
useful  adjunct  to  a  wrestler's  out- 
fit is  the  Spalding  combined  wrest- 
ling supporter  and  belt.  It  is  made 
of  mercerized  silk  elastic,  strong 
and  durable,  and  is  the  only  really 
safe  supporter  for  wrestling  made. 
It  costs  $2.00  each.  A  bath  robe 
k  also  essential,  to  prevent  catch- 
ing cold,  and  costs  from  $2.50  up. 
Every  wrestler  should  wear  a  supporter,  to  avoid  injury.  These 


No.  B. 


can  be  bought  from  20  cents  up  to  $1.50,  depending  upon  quality 
and  construction.  Bandages  for  the  shoulder  cap,  l^nee  cap, 
wrist,  elbow  or  ankle  can  be  obtained  in  silk  or  cotton.  The 
elbow,  knee  and  ankle  bandages  cost  $1.50  each  in  cotton  and 
$2.25  in  silk;  a  wrist  bandage,  75  cents  in  cotton  and  $1.00  in 
silk,  and  a  shoulder  cap,  $4.50  in  cotton  and  $6.00  in  silk.  A 
roll  elastic  bandage,  5  yards  long  and  3  inches  wide,  costs  $1.00; 
the  same  length,  but  2^2  inches  wide,  75  cents.  Leather  wrist 
supporters  cost  from  20  cents  to  50  cents  each. 

Spalding's  catalogue  of  athletic  goods  contains  full  descriptions, 
pictures  and  prices  of  all  the  above  goods  and  everything  for  ath- 
letic wear  and  use,  and  will  be  mailed  to  any  address  free  upon 
request.  Address  the  Spalding  store  nearest  to  you  for  a  copy, 
for  list  of  which  see  inside  front  cover  of  this  booko 


SSTHESPALDINGJ 


Spalding  Running  Pants 

Specify  size  and  color  when  ordering 
No.  1.  White  or  Black  Sateen,  fly  front, 
lace  back.  Pair.  $1.25*  $12.00 Doz. 
No.  2.  White  or  Black  Sateen,  fly  front, 
lace  back.  Pair.  $1.00*  $10. 00 Doz. 
No.  3.  Whue  or  Black  Silesia,  fly  front, 
lace  back.  Pair.75c.-fr  $1.  SO  Doz. 
No.  4.  White,  Black  or  Gray  Silesia, 
fly  front,  lace  back. 

Pair.50c.fr-  $5. 00  Doz. 
No.  44.  Same  quality  as  No.  4,  but 
in  juvenile  sizes,  not  over  26  inch 

waist Pair.  45c. 

Silk  Ribbon  Stripes  down  sides  of  any _ 

of  these  running  pants.  .  Pair,  extra,  25c.  fr  $2.40  Doz. 
Silk  Ribbon  Stripe  around  waist  on  any  of  these  running 
pants.  .  .  ....  Pair,  extra.  25c.  fr  $2.40  Doz. 

Spalding  Boys'  Knee  Pants 

No.  2B.     Boys'  Leaders.     Blue  flannel 
Y.  M.  C.  A.  Knee  Pants,  stripe  down  side. 
Per  pair,  $2.50 
No.  14B.  Boys'  Knee  Pants,  same  quality 


SpaSdnng  Worsted  Trunks 

!No.  1.  Best  wor. 

jsted.  Black,  Ma- 
roon,  and  Navy. 
Pair.  $2.0C 
No.  2.  Gooc 
quality  worsted, 
Navy  and  Black.1 
Special  colors  to 
order.  Pr.,$1.00 


down  side. 


palding  Wrestling  Full  Tights 

Not  carried  in  stock. 
Supplied  on  Special  Orders  only 
o.  WA.  Best  worsted,  knit  to  sl>|pe  *i 
at  together  by  hand.     Reinfq?&ed  i.t 
ices   with  strong  silk  finish  wor- 
ed.     Colors:  Black,  Navy  Blue, 
id  Maroon.     Sizes,  waist,  28 

42  inches.     Other  colots 
id  larger  sizes  quoted  on 
>ecially.     Pair,  $6.00 


Spalding  Velvet  Trunks 

No.  3.  Fine 
Velvet.  Black, 
Navy.  Royal 
Blue,  Maroon. 
Special  colors 
to  order. 
Pair,  $1.00 

_, No-3    +$10.00 Dz. 

as  No.  4  Y.  M.C.  A.  trousers,  with  stripe  No.  4.    Sateen,  Black.  White. 

Pair.  %l.QO±J/0.S0Doa,  Pair.  SQc.JkJ5.00  Doz. 

Spalding  Full  Length  Tighti 

No.  1A.  Best  worsted,  full  fashioned 
Stock  colors:  Black,  Navy  Blue,  Maroon 
Sizes,  28  to  42 1  nch  waist.  Pair.  $4.00 
No. 605.  Good  quality 
worsted,  stock  colors 
and  sizes.  Pair.  $2.00 
+$21.60  Doz. 
.  No.3A.  Cotton,  full 
v  quality.  While,  I 
\  Black.  Flesh. 
\  Pair.  $1.00 

A       fr  $10.00  DOZ. 


Special  Wrestling  Mattresses      Spalding  Y.M.C.A.  trousers 

Cover  heavy  quality  duck,  closely  tufted,      M      .,       REGULATION  STYLE 

No.  2.  Men  s  Leaders.  Blue  or  Gray 
flannel,  stripe  down  side.  Per  pair,  $3.50 
No.  3.  Flannel,  good  quality."  3.00 


2  in.  thick.     Corduroy  cover  to  lay  over 
mat  and  allow  6-in.  margin  on  all  sides. 
No.WX.   Size  1 2x1 2  feet. 
No.WXX.  Size  1 5x1 5  feet. 

Special  Combined  Wrestling 
Supporter  and  Belt 

No  WS.  Mercerized 
silk    elastic,    strong 
and  durable.      The 
only  safe  supporter  \ 
for   wrestling. 

Each.  $2.00 


No.  4.    Flannel,  medium  quality. 

Per  pair.  $1.75fr  $18.00 Doz. 

Spalding  Special  Pads  for  Wrestling 

To  be  Sewn  on  Wrestling  Tights. 
No.  B.   Soft  tanned  horse  hide 
cover,  hair  felt  padding. 

Per  pair,  75c. 

No.  62.  Covered  with  tan 
leather,  padded.  Pair,  50 c. 
No.  61.  Cloth  covered,  padded 
with  wool  felt.  Per  pair,  25c. 


___  .       .       .   ....  No.B        No..  61  and  62 

ie  above  dozen  prices  printed  in  italics  will  be  quoted  on  orders  of  one-half  dozen  or  more  at  one  time.    No 
.reduction  from  regular  retail  prices  on  quantities  of  less  than  one-half  dozen. 


PROMPT  ATTENTION  GIVEN  TO  | 
ANY  COMMUNICATIONS 


A.  G.  SPALDING  &  BROS. 


I  FOR  COMPLETE  LIST  OF  STORES  I 
SEE  INSIDE  FRONT  COVER 


RETURN 
TO- 


1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

ALL  BOOKS  MAY  BE  RECALLED  AFTER  7  DAYS 


DUE  AS 


SENT  ON  lit 


4£J- 


U.  C.  BERKELfcY 
SENT  ON  ILL 


U.C.  BERKELEY 


APR  0  7  ? 


FEB03 


-UC, 


u. 


EY 


^4. 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  LIBRARY 


